The Hero Dies in This One
by January Lily
Summary: Coulson is their leader. Ward is the muscles. Fitz-Simmons are the brains. May is just the driver…supposedly. Skye is the recruit. But what role does that leave for Alex Evans on the dream team? ON HIATUS
1. We'd Like to Thank the Academy

**Luminis**

By: January Lily

* * *

 **Chapter 1: We'd Like to Thank the Academy**

 _Phil Coulson was pissed. Lies. He was surrounded in a web of lies that had been woven around him and the one person he had thought he could trust was in on it from the very start. Agent Melinda May stood there trying to explain herself, her cryptic actions and her lies, but Coulson just wasn't having it anymore. "I gave you a second chance when I assembled…" he began._

" _I assembled this team!" May interrupted with a shout._

" _What?" Coulson took a step back in shock as he looked to May with a puzzled expression on his face, but May's expression remained stern._

" _ **I**_ _evaluated what was needed._ _ **I**_ _gave the assessment to Fury and_ _ **he**_ _gave you the parameters for your unit."_

 _He couldn't believe what he was hearing...another lie he had been dropped into. He had spent hours going combing through agents for the perfect team and suddenly he was being told that it wasn't actually his team. If that wasn't bad enough, each member of his team was selected for a reason and he damn well deserved to know what May thought he had needed. Coulson took a deep breath before asking, "What was needed, May?"_

 _May released a long sigh. For a moment she contemplated whether or not to tell him, but right now she was in a position where she needed to save face...even if it meant hurting him in the process. "Someone who could repair your body, a technician who could reprogram your brain and a specialist to help me put you down if it had to be done."_

" _And Alex? Why bring her into all of this?"_

" _You know why Alex."_

" _Enlighten me, especially since you're the one who requested she be added to the team."_

" _If anyone could keep you from embracing insanity...it would be your daughter. Even one who doesn't know that you're her father."_

* * *

Alex Evans sat there nervously twisting her hands in the auditorium amidst a sea of people. After years of hard work, she was finally graduating from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations. There were many that had their doubts that she would ever make it this far. Everyone thought that she should drop out or at least transfer to make a better use of her natural skillset Hell, there were even moments _she_ didn't think she could make it, but the blood, sweat, and tears must have paid off. Operations was known for having the highest percentage of dropouts, but Alex had something the dropouts didn't: a thirst to prove herself.

For a moment, she looked over her shoulder at her mother a few rows behind her who gave her a curt nod. Alex loved her mother to death, but she wanted more in life than to be a paper pusher for S.H.I.E.L.D. Then again, Alex also knew that she was the reason her mother resigned herself to that fate. Her mother, Dr. Connie Evans, had once been one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most brilliant scientists. Her mother had been responsible for inventing a specialized grenade that emits a massive energy shock wave. But when Alex had been born, her mother found a nine-to-five within S.H.I.E.L.D. so that she could devote her time to raising her little girl.

The person seated beside Alex nudged her, so she jerked to face the front again. Their row was standing to walk across the stage and shake hands with Director Fury. Honestly, graduation was more of a pomp and circumstance thing, than a necessity for the academy. A necessary evil in Alex's eyes. Dressed sharply, Alex's heels clicked as she followed behind her classmates, filing of their row before heading on stage. After her name was called, she walked out to the middle of the stage and shook Director Fury's hand. He held onto her hand a little longer than necessary before leaning close to her ear. "I see you made it," Fury whispered in her ear.

"Just barely," Alex breathed.

"That's what I was told." Fury then released her hand and nodded for her to continue.

Alex blushed in embarrassment from Fury's comment before she practically ran from the stage and back to her seat with her classmates. She wanted nothing more than to bury her head, but she noticed her mother in the corner of her eye sit up straighter, so Alex followed suit. She hadn't been a prodigy or anything at the academy. In fact, she was ranked second to last in her class. The fact that she was at graduation proved she was capable...she just didn't excel as some did.

After everyone had crossed the stage, it was time for Fury to read off the assignments. Alex held her breath and crossed her fingers that she wouldn't be shipped off to some base in the middle of nowhere with no hopes of moving up. Then again, she wasn't sure that she wanted to be assigned to a covert operation in eastern Europe right off the bat either. No, she just wanted something that had potential.

Fury read the names alphabetically. As...Adams..., Bs...Bell, Bishop..., Cs...Collins, Collins, Ds….Dent...Alex closed her eyes a few names before where her own should be called. After Fury read off where Kyle Dunne was to be placed, she held her breath. But then much to her confusion, the next name read was Katie Farris. Alex opened her eyes and looked up at Director Fury. Had he just skipped her? Had she not been assigned? She couldn't bring herself to look back at her mother. Deep inside, she wanted to cry, to break down; but she was supposed to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. She wasn't supposed to break down. She was supposed to remain strong even during the direst circumstances.

Alex rubbed at her nose as Fury continued down the list. She tried to focus on masking her emotions; but it was rather difficult when even Aiden Nelson, who was ranked below her, managed to get an assignment. Still, she tried to maintain her composure, but she could hear the whispers swirling through her class. They knew she hadn't received an assignment. They hadn't even assigned her to a job below her skill set. When Fury finished reading the names, the audience began to clap. It was then that Alex finally got the courage to look back at her mother, but her seat was empty. It appeared that even her own mother abandoned her, which just seemed to be another blow to her already terrible day.

A few minutes later, the graduates were asked to face those seated behind them as Director Fury presented them. Unlike high school graduation, there were no camera flashes. Some of these people would be sent out on high-risk missions and if a photo of them in this capacity fell into the wrong hands, the effect could be detrimental. As Alex stood there, she looked over to the spot where her mother had been seated again, but this time, the seat wasn't empty. It wasn't her mother seated there but a woman with brown hair, dressed in a black S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform.

The woman made eye contact with her and then nodded. Alex looked away in confusion but then looked again. The woman nodded again. A nod? Was it one of _those_ nods? The woman then looked to the side exit of the auditorium before looking back to Alex. In her confusion, Alex pointed to herself and the woman nodded again. The woman then stood up and slipped out the door before the graduates began to file out of the auditorium. Instead of following her fellow graduates down the center aisle, Alex took the opportunity to escape out the side door.

Slowly, she closed the door behind her and looked for the woman. She scanned twice before finding the woman down the hallway to the left...in the dim hallway. Of course. They always go down the creepy-ass hallways. This was a classic horror movie no-no, but hoping that she had learned a thing or two at the academy, Alex walked down the hallway toward the woman. Once the mystery woman knew Alex was following her, she started to walk again. Chasing a woman into an even darker hallway...yeah, of course, that was going to bode well for her; but Alex did it anyway. Although the more Alex thought about it, following a stranger seemed far more enjoyable than spending time being the butt of everyone's jokes in the graduation reception.

After several more twists and turns, the woman finally came to a stop and allowed Alex to catch up with her. Alex was about to say something when suddenly the woman pinned her against the wall. "Are you Alexandra Evans?" the woman questioned.

"Last time I checked," Alex retorted. The woman slowly released Alex and then pulled something out of her pocket. Without asking for permission, she slammed Alex's thumb onto what was later revealed to be a thumbprint scanner. Alex tilted her head to see her name and picture show up on the little screen. She then looked to the woman before saying, "Told you."

"You can never be too safe." The woman then shoved the scanner back in her pocket before extending her hand. "I'm Agent Maria Hill and I'm here to give you your assignment."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Alex responded sarcastically, extending her hand. She then shook her head and bitterly spat, "I wasn't assigned."

"Your assignment is of a confidential nature at this time, which is why it wasn't read aloud. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me so that you can be briefed, Agent Evans."

Alex looked to Agent Hill with a puzzled expression. What in the hell was going on? First, she thought she hadn't received an assignment and now she was being told she had a confidential one? Who in the hell, in their right mind, would give her _this_ kind of assignment? Alex fumbled for any words to say when another figure suddenly moved in the shadows. They moved into the light and revealed themselves to be Director Fury. "I'd go if I were you...unless you'd prefer to be the one bringing us coffee every morning."

"Would that include coffee for Steve Rogers?" Alex asked curiously. Even she wasn't immune to Steve Rogers and his charm.

With an incredulous expression, Fury shook his head and said, "It's not _that_ glamorous."

"Of course not sir." Alex pulled her hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were tinged pink from a blush that crept onto her cheeks, but the idea of bringing Steve Rogers coffee didn't seem all that bad if she got to see him up close and personal. Alex started to blush all over again.

"If you're done fangirling over Rogers, let's get back to your actual mission." Fury glared at her and Alex immediately nodded her head and shook off any other notions she had of Rogers. "Well?"

"Yes sir, but…" Alex's mind was reeling as she was trying to process it all. So she spit out the first thing that came to mind. "My mother and I were supposed to get lunch." After she said it, Alex looked almost shocked and appalled at herself. That was the first thing she said? That? Alex smacked her forehead. "Oh my god," she muttered under her breath in embarrassment. "Did I just tell the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I can't because of my mommy?"

"Dr. Connie Evans has been briefed on your status," Agent Hill responded with her hands behind her back before she smiled. "She also wishes you luck." Agent Hill then swiftly turned on her heel and headed down another hallway.

Alex mouthed the word _oh_ and nodded her head, still trying to process.

"Well, are you gonna go or do I have to reassign your ass?" Fury questioned, narrowing his one good eye at Alex.

"I-I should probably go, shouldn't I?"

"You're supposed to be a genius, you tell me."

Alex nodded her head before taking off in a sprint after Agent Hill. "Wait for me!" she shouted down the hallway. She stopped for a moment to rip off her heels and then continued running again.

Fury stood there for a moment shaking his head before he muttered to himself, "May better be right about this." Fury then turned and sunk back into the shadows. The sound of his footsteps thudded for a few moments until there was no more sound and only an empty hallway.

* * *

 **Author's note: And we have here another plot bunny! Haha! First, I would like to thank Quinn a.k.a Jabberwocking on here for taking the time to support this little endeavor and then beta-ing it and then taking the time to talk through everything with me. This wouldn't be here without them. So, thanks, friend! I'm also gonna shamelessly plug their Avengers/Captain America story "Mirror Mirror." Go read it, folks!**

 **Oh, and thanks for taking the time to read mine. :)**


	2. Come What May

**Luminis**

by: January Lily

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Come What May**

Alex rubbed at the kink in her neck as she stepped off the quinjet with Agent Maria Hill. The bright sun caused Alex to sneeze despite the fact that she tried to shield her eyes with her hands. Agent Hill looked over her shoulder at Alex who only thought to apologize. Alex couldn't help her reaction to the sun, but a sneeze like that in the line of duty could prove to be deadly. She just hoped one stupid sneeze wouldn't deter her from whatever assignment she was about to receive.

Hill swiped her badge at a sensor and then the door in front of them slid open. Alex followed Agent Hill inside the building which seemed rather dark, especially compared to outside. It took several seconds for Alex's eyes to adjust so that she could see properly follow Agent Hill down another dark hallway. What was it with S.H.I.E.L.D. and dark hallways? It wouldn't kill them to add an extra light or two...or maybe it would.

Another female agent walked out of a door. The woman's shoulders were back and her head held high as she looked down the hall with a stern expression on her face. Alex got the feeling that this woman wasn't ever really happy, but she was also intimidating as hell. Agent Hill nodded toward the woman before saying, "Agent May."

"Agent Hill," Agent May responded. "We've been waiting."

" _Someone_ insisted on a McDonald's run." Agent Hill nodded back toward Alex and Agent May raised an eyebrow.

Alex fumbled for the right words to say to combat the lie. "But. I. That. Hmm. We didn't." After releasing a disgruntled sigh, Alex folded her arms across her chest and bit her bottom lip.

Maria looked over her shoulder at Alex with a smirk on her face. The woman then turned toward Agent May and said, "She's all yours."

Agent May didn't say anything. Instead, she just gave a slight nod of her head.

Agent Hill then turned toward Alex one last time. The woman hesitantly reached out before patting Alex on the shoulder twice. "Good luck, Agent Evans. It's been nice knowing you."

With that, Agent Hill turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Alex standing in front of Agent May. Alex blinked slowly unsure of what to do next. Keeping her stern facade, Agent May motioned for Alex to enter the room. So, the new agent did as ordered.

Once inside, Alex examined the room and quickly associated it with an interrogation room. There was a one-way mirror on the wall and steel metal table with several steel chairs. Unlike the hallways, this room was very well lit. It was almost too bright in the room, but it was probably useful when detaining suspects.

Alex hadn't a clue why they would bring _her_ to such a room. She walked over to the one-way mirror and cupped her hands over her eyes before pressing against the glass. She saw a shadow move when Agent May flatly said, "Have a seat Agent Evans."

Straightening her stance, Alex slowly walked over to the table and sat in one of the cold chairs opposite Agent May. She shifted for a few seconds until she was comfortable. Alex then looked Agent May directly in the eye and said, "Am I in trouble, Agent May?"

"Not yet," May responded. "We just need to go over a few things before you can be briefed on your assignment.."

"I'm sure Agent Hill was more than capable to go over _a few things_. And yet I was handed over to you. So, I'm pretty sure it's more than just a _few things_ , isn't that right, Agent May?"

May wasn't shaken. Instead, she simply drummed her fingers against the table for a few moments. The woman's facial expression didn't change and despite being sorely intimidated by May, Alex simply straightened her shoulders and met the woman's gaze. May looked over her shoulder back at the one-way mirror for a moment before returning to Alex. "I'm told you barely passed the academy."

"But I still did graduate." Alex leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot against the concrete floor. " I try to be a glass half full, kind of person."

"I don't have time for your attitude, Agent Evans. What we're going to be doing won't be like any drill you've done before. I'm here to make sure that you can handle it and that I won't have to babysit you out there."

Alex looked to May, who appeared to be slightly irritated. "S.H.I.E.L.D. taught me how to handle my own. If you don't think I'm qualified or what you're looking for, then maybe you should look into reassigning me." Honestly, deep down, Alex hoped that they would reassign her because bringing Steve Rogers his coffee didn't sound half-bad, especially compared to whatever the hell this was.

Once again, May looked back over her shoulder. She nodded her head and then turned toward Alex. "Maybe you're exactly what we're looking for." Alex blinked several times in confusion before May continued. "What do you know about Agent Phil Coulson?"

"Not much, I guess. We had a little memorial ceremony for him at the academy. A few guys got up and said some stuff about him, touching really. Buti If I recall correctly, he died shortly before the Battle of New York."

May tugged at her ear. It was then that Alex noticed the small earpiece. Someone was talking to the woman interrogating her. Wisely, Alex said nothing about the subject as May asked, "Is that all you know about him?"

"Yes, why would you think I know anything else about someone I've never met before?"

Agent May looked back at the glass with an _I told you so_ expression on her face. She then tugged at her ear before pulling her earpiece from her ear. After setting it on the table she smashed it with her first. May smiled slightly as there came a bang on the glass. Then there was eery silence in the room. The only sound came for the air conditioning kicking in until footsteps began to echo down the hall, growing louder and closer.

"Honestly, I just wanted to see if Connie still talks about me," a voice echoed from the dark hallway. Alex looked to the doorway and a few seconds later a man with hands shoved in his pants pockets appeared. He looked familiar, but Alex couldn't quite place her finger on it.

"Agent Evans, Agent Coulson," May said in an irritated tone. "You can take it from here, Coulson." The woman abruptly stood up before she quickly exited the room.

Agent Coulson watched Agent May walk into the dark hallway, nodding his head for a second before he walked further into the room and sat at the chair where May had been sitting. He looked at Alex with a gentle smile on his face and for a second, Alex could have sworn the man in front of her was about to cry. Instead, he just nodded his head and folded his hands on the steel table. "So, I see you've met Agent May."

Alex nodded her head before responding."Is she always so…"

"Grumpy?" Coulson smirked.

"Hey, you said it-not me." Alex held her hands up in defense which caused Coulson to chuckle.

"It's her first day back in the field. She probably just needs some time to adjust." The man in front of her phrased the words so kindly and carefully, which confused her. Granted, she knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were human, but there was just something different about Agent Coulson that she couldn't quite put her finger on. The man shifted before he asked, "I'm guessing you have some questions for me. So why don't we get that part over with?"

"You're supposed to be dead."

"That's not really a question." He smiled again. "And that information is Level 7. But I will tell you that I am currently not dead. You know, just in case you haven't figured that much out yet."

"At least I have my intelligence to fall back on," Alex said sarcastically. But her sarcasm was more truth than she was letting on. Alex then shifted in her chair. "What's my assignment."

"You've been assigned to my team. A team of highly trained agents to tackle cases that have yet to be classified."

" _Highly trained_? Then why am I here?"

"You're fresh out of the academy. We could use a pair of eyes like yours." Alex raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn't buying it. But he didn't seem to wish to continue on the subject, so Alex sighed and rested her elbow on the table with her head on the palm of her hand. "Is there anything else you'd like to know, Agent Evans?"

"Yeah, can a girl get a decent cheeseburger around here? I'm starving."

Coulson chuckled before he said, "I'll see what I can do." He walked out of the room and was gone for a few moments before returning to his chair. That damn gentle smile returned to his face. "Alright, Agent Evans, now I have a few questions for you. Favorite color?"

"What kind of question is that?" That wasn't the kind of question you asked a coworker. That was a question you asked when trying to get to know someone on a more personal level.

Coulson was silent for a second, pondering how much to say, before he answered, "Just trying to get to know a member of my team. That's all."

Alex sighed. "Blue. Well, technically teal, but yeah."

"Isn't teal more of a green?"

"Can't even get my favorite color right," Alex muttered. Coulson held back a chuckle as he watched Alex shake her head.

"Favorite animal?"

"Another random question, but the answer is a penguin and don't ask me why because I don't have a freaking clue. I just like them." Again, he smiled at her.

"Favorite N*SYNC song?"

"Seriously, what's with all the random questions?"

"I already told you. It's my job to make sure that I know my team. Answer the question."

Alex looked at Coulson curiously and scoffed before she answered, "I was always more of a Backstreet Boys kind of girl."

"Me too. Well, except I wasn't a girl." Alex laughed before a broad smile stretched across her face. Coulson smiled too and then nodded his head. "Ok, how about this one: favorite Avenger?"

Alex pondered the question for a moment. "You know, I think most people in my position would probably say, Natasha Romanoff. Don't get me wrong, she's badass, but she has nothing on Steve Roger's bulging biceps. Not to mention that he's hot as hell."

Coulson looked a little affronted, "You do realize how old he is, right? You're too young for him." Alex looked at him with slight terror in her eyes. What had she done to get _that_ reaction? He then cleared his throat, calmed himself, and pushed his chair back. Coulson then continued, "But yeah, he's pretty cool. I had some of his original trading cards."

Alex just nodded her head, unsure of how to respond.

"One last question. What can you tell me about your father?" He stared at Alex intently, which was slightly intimidating.

"I-uh, can't tell you much. Never met the guy. All I know is that he went through Operations Academy. That's all Mom would tell me. My first year at the academy I gave myself a DNA test and tried running it through the system to see if I could get a match because you know, I would have a certain amount of alleles in common with my father; but everything was classified or redacted. And then I would try to get a sample from anyone old enough to be my father, but that proved to be fruitless as well. Not that I should be telling you any of this...I could get in serious trouble, couldn't I?"

"Your secret's safe with me," Coulson said. "Just no more DNA testing. I'd like to keep the hair I have left." He rubbed the top of his head which made Alex chuckle as she nodded her head.

Agent May walked back into the room with a grumpy expression on her face. It was probably because she had been the one relegated to bringing Alex her cheeseburger. May quickly dropped the plate onto the table before she walked out of the room without a single word. "I promise, she's not _that_ bad," Coulson said. He then stood up and extended his hand toward Alex which stood to accept. "Welcome to the team, Agent Evans. Enjoy your burger."

* * *

 **Author's note: Hope you enjoyed chapter 2! Thanks to everyone who has read/favorited/followed/reviewed. Truly, it means a lot to me. :)**

* * *

 **Slow Dancing in the Snow:** Thanks, friend! I'm truly flattered that you like her! I hope this chapter was acceptable!

 **ColdAndBrokenHallelujah:** Yes, yes I do-kinda. It's AOS, but sure. Haha. And Steve gets brought back up again. Haha. It seems to be the type she's attracted to...for now. lol.

 **Hidden Journey:** Thanks! That means a lot to me! :)

 **Daystorm:** Yes. Watch it. I loved Season 1! Season 2 grew on me and I'm currently watching Season 3. haha.

 **Jabberwocking:** Seriously, thanks for all the love and support with this story. It means a lot to me. :) I hope this chapter was ok. Haha. Love you!

 **Lotty-x:** D'awww, it means a lot that you read this! Thanks for taking the time to review! Glad you're liking Alex already. :)

 **DoYouSeeWhatIMean:** Thank you!

 **Wayward Jules:** Ha! Alex is like you? Oh boy. I should ask you what you would do in situations. Lol. She's met 2 out of the 6. 4 more to go.

 **That Was Spooky:** Thanks, friend!

 **Guest:** D'aww, that means a lot. Thanks!

 **Marloweee1856:** You. You. I wasn't even expecting you to read this. But you did. And that means the world to me! We got to see her interact with Coulson...who got slightly protective. Haha. I hope you're doing well too! Love you too! :)


	3. We're a Team

**Chapter 3: We're a Team**

* * *

Alex slightly shifted in her seat. She didn't want to show how nervous she really feeling. Her first S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. She had been chosen for something special...but how in the hell had _that_ happened? Why her? She was nothing special...well, as far as her academy scores were concerned, she wasn't special. Had she gone to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology, the narrative would have read differently. But she hadn't and it didn't.

Agent Melinda May drove the black Cadillac Escalade while Alex sat shotgun. There was no music playing. The only sounds came from the outside: the whirring of the air as Agent May sped through traffic, the occasional horn honking, and drivers cursing. But Alex just sat there not even attempting to engage May in conversation. She had learned her lesson as far as May was concerned-don't ask stupid questions and don't get on her bad side. If Alex could abide by those two rules, she just might survive...but Alex's hopes weren't high.

May turned a corner rather sharp, causing Alex's face to slam against the glass. Alex groaned as she peeled her face from the window and wiped at the drool mark residue she had left. The younger agent then turned to look at May, who said nothing and kept her eyes focused on the road. Alex blinked slowly. Did anything ever get to this woman? Not wanting to find out, Alex simply rubbed at her cheek and stared straight ahead.

Eventually, May pulled up to a security checkpoint. Agent May pulled out her S.H.I.E.L.D. I.D. and held her hand out for Alex to pass hers up. "Dammit," Alex muttered as she unbuckled her seatbelt and reclined her chair so that she could crawl into the backseat to dig in her bag. Agent May had been so intimidating that Alex hadn't been able to sling together a coherent train of thought- _of course she should have thought to put her I.D. on her person_. Alex already felt like such an idiot in front of Agent May and this certainly wasn't going to earn her any brownie points.

Alex glanced out the window to see May's annoyed expression reflecting off the glass of the security booth and the guard carefully watching their every move. "Got it," Alex muttered as she unzipped the side pocket of her backpack. Instead of handing it to May, she pressed it against the dark glass window.

"They're tinted," Agent May muttered before she pressed the button to lower the back window. Alex hadn't anticipated this and her I.D. toppled from the vehicle to the asphalt pavement in front of the security guard.

Alex groaned and buried her face in the leather seat as the guard bent down to pick up her I.D. She could hear him chuckling as he did so. He examined Alex's badge, "Can you lift your head, Agent Evans?" he drawled.

After taking a deep breath, Alex slowly raised her head and looked at him. She waved awkwardly, feeling her cheeks flame. The guard chuckled again. "Better hand this to you," he said handing Agent May Alex's I.D. "She's quite green, ain't she?"

"Can we pass or not?" was all May grumbled as she handed Alex her I.D.

The security guard nodded his head before he pressed a button. It opened the iron security gates. They slowly swung open and when there was barely enough clearance to pass through, May sped through them.

"I-I swear, I'm not normally like this," Alex began to ramble. "I mean, not all the time. I'm not completely incompetent."

"You're going to have to better or you're going to get yourself, or one of your team members killed," was all May said as she continued to speed forward. Several turns later, Agent May drove their vehicle down an airstrip runway toward a giant aircraft hanger.

As they drew closer, Alex spotted their aircraft...or what she assumed was their aircraft since it was the only one in sight. It was huge, with multiple turbine engines...more than one would think would be necessary; but still. It was probably the best of what S.H.I.E.L.D. had to offer. "That's sick," Alex said in awe as they came to a stop beside the aircraft.

Agent May rolled her eyes. "It's a modified Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft. Officially known as the CXD 23 Airborne Mobile Command Station it's designated "S.H.I.E.L.D. 6-1-6" Grab your gear."

With that, Agent May exited the vehicle and Alex muttered to herself, "Yeah, sick." before she followed suit. She slammed the front passenger door before opening the back door. She grabbed her bags, which were over-packed compared to May's single bag. Alex then jogged to catch up with Agent May who was already walking up the ramp into the aircraft. "This is going well," Alex muttered to herself, but she wanted more than anything to prove herself-to prove her worth.

Trying very carefully not to trip while jogging up the ramp, Alex finally caught up to Agent May who was standing there rather impatiently tapping her foot against the steel floor. "Sorry," Alex apologized for no reason.

"Don't apologize. Do better," May said. Agent May then began to ascend the spiraling steel staircase toward the upper deck. Alex caught sight of the research and forensic laboratory behind the glass. She bit her bottom lip and made a mental note to check it out in her spare time...not that she would be allowed much of that. Alex then followed after Agent May again until she reached the upper deck.

After a few steps on the metal grate floor, Alex stepped onto carpeting and found herself inside of the nicest looking planes she had ever seen. There were rather comfy looking reclining chairs, coffee table with a stack of books, and throw pillows. Had it not been for the command center, windows, and the curving walls, Alex probably wouldn't have realized they were standing on an aircraft. "Damn," was all Alex could mutter under her breath.

She followed May further into the plane when the woman came to a sudden stop and Alex almost went crashing into her, but she somehow managed to stop herself. May didn't say anything, but Alex could tell the woman was probably wondering how Alex had managed to last a single day at the Academy. But she didn't say it. Instead, she said, "I don't have time to babysit you. Find a bunk and get yourself situated. The rest of the team should be here shortly." Agent May turned swiftly on her heel and walked away.

"How many others…" Alex's voice trailed off when she realized that May wasn't going to answer because the older agent just kept walking. Alex nodded her head several times and readjusted her backpack. "Alright then, let's find a bunk."

After examining each of the cubicles, she reasoned that they were all about the same. She dropped her bags onto the bed in one of the cubicles before collapsing onto the bed. She groaned in frustration when her head hit the pillow. Things weren't working out so far. She needed to step up her game-she knew that. But right now, she needed some time to sort through her thoughts...in a place where she always felt comfortable and a cubicle wasn't going to cut it.

Alex forced herself to her feet. She glanced toward the cockpit to see Agent May discussing something with one of the guys doing a walk-through of the aircraft. Alex then headed the opposite direction toward the back. She descended the stairs. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her, Alex then stepped into the lab.

She couldn't help but smile as her fingers brushed the computers. She opened one of the cabinets to see what was inside. She immediately recognized the chemicals and compounds stored in containers and vials. After closing the cupboard, Alex then walked over to the lab table and drummed her fingers against it. Alex then moved back to a computer, which was running, and she began reading to decipher the results being projected. As she deciphered, she couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right decision walking away from it all, but she didn't have long to dwell on it.

"Who are you and what the hell do you think you're doing in here?" an unfamiliar accented voice questioned.

Alex's eyes quickly glanced up in shock to find a guy with curly brownish-blonde hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a button-down white shirt, which was untucked, a plaid tie, and grey zipper sweatshirt. Quite the ensemble for an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Well?" He asked again as he dropped a container onto the lab table.

"Alex Evans," Alex said pulling her S.H.I.E.L.D. I.D. from her pocket. "And I was assigned here, same as you, I'm guessing."

"I meant what are you doing _in here_. In my lab." He folded his arms defensively across his chest.

"Must have missed the nameplate on the door."

He easily figured out her sarcasm and shook his head. "Always the same with _your_ type. Thinking they can walk in here and run the place when you don't know a thing about anything in here. I man, can you tell me what this is?" He pointed to one of the instruments.

 _A mass spectrometer_ , Alex thought. _An instrument which can measure the masses and relative concentrations of atoms and molecules. It makes use of the basic_ _magnetic force_ _on a moving charged particle._ But she didn't say that to him. Alex knew that he was trying to trip her up. She also didn't miss his little dig at her Academy. Instead, she opted for. "Why don't we start over?" she then stood up and extended her hand. "I'm Alex Evans. It looks like we're going to be working together. You are?"

He hesitantly looked down at her hand before accepting it. "Leo Fitz," he said shaking her hand. "Simmons is back double-checking the gear." Alex nodded her head, pretending this was the first time she was hearing this information. She already knew who he was because of her mother, but she wasn't quite ready yet to reveal her connection.

"Evans, you said?" Fitz asked.

Internally, Alex grimaced, but years of training at the Academy had taught her how to be able to cooly respond, "Yeah."

Alex could tell that he was wanting to ask if she were any relation to _the_ Dr. Connie Evans, but he must have rationalized that there were plenty of people, especially within S.H.I.E.L.D. with the last name Evans. "You don't have any devices on you, do you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief that he hasn't asked her. She didn't want to lie to one of her team members, but _that_ information was need-to-know and he certainly didn't need to know...at least not yet. "Hello?" Fitz asked waving his hand in front of Alex's face. "Can you hear me? If you have problems with your hearing, I can probably whip up a device for you."

Alex chuckled. "I'm not hard of hearing. I'm just easily lost to my thoughts. And to answer your first question. I don't have any devices." She then smirked. "I'm not stupid, you know."

He blinked slowly at her like he was trying to process what to say next when a woman carrying a bunch of boxes purposefully dropped them on the floor outside the lab. "Simmons?" Alex asked. Fitz just nodded. "Let's go see if she needs some help, shall we?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Any true science nerd is traveling with more than _that_ even if they get a lab as tricked-out as this one."

Again, Fitz was left speechless. Alex then walked past him and out into the cargo-hold where Simmons stacked some of her boxes. "Could you use a hand?" Alex asked. "I mean, with the rest that I'm assuming is outside."

Simmons, a woman with light brown hair and brown eyes, stood and breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, that would be lovely," she said. "I'm Jemma, by the way."

"Alex, I'm Alex."

Jemma scrutinized Alex's face for a moment before she mused aloud, "Your bone structure looks very familiar. Oh! A swab! I need a swab!" Jemma pulled a swab out of her pocket and moved to Alex's face.

Alex chuckled nervously, opening her mouth knowing that there was likely no use resisting. "You know, I get that all the time," she lied, talking while Jemma swabbed her mouth. "I was walking in Los Angeles once and like five people wanted my autograph. Couldn't figure out which celebrity they thought I was." She then smiled. Jemma simply nodded her head.

Fitz stepped out of the lab and walked past them. "If you girls are done gabbing we have equipment to load." He clapped his hands twice and then stepped off the ramp.

Alex shook her head as she watched him disappear behind one of the vehicles. She then turned toward Jemma. "Is he always like that?"

Jemma nodded and then shook her head. "Sometimes, but he's really not _that_ bad. He's actually a really great guy."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Are you two... _together_?"

"No. Oh god no. We've just known each other for years, went through Academy together, you know, great chums. He-he's like a brother. A sometimes, albeit annoying brother. But you know, he's just Fitz."

"If that's your story."

"How about the rest of that gear?" Jemma asked, changing the subject. Alex nodded her head and the two women walked to the vehicle to unload several more boxes of instruments and gear needed for their journey.

Once all the gear had been tossed into a pile, Alex wandered back upstairs to allow Fitz and Simmons time to sort out their mess. She plopped herself onto one of the chairs, taking a moment to just soak it all in. Despite her desire to prove herself, despite everything working against her...in a way, she had finally made it. But proving to be useful was something entirely different.

Alex picked up one of the scientific journals from the table and began reading about the latest hopes for technology, skipping the article written by her mother. She was almost finished with the article when voices drew closer. She turned to find Agent Coulson and another man walking toward her. Although, she recognized the other man as Agent Grant Ward. Noticing them both looking her way, Alex shoved the science journal in the side of the chair and smiled.

"Well, well, if it isn't one of our newest S.H.I.E.L.D. agents," Coulson chuckled.

"You're bringing a newbie with us?" Ward asked contemptuously.

Coulson turned toward him. "Don't worry, May and I will be the ones over-seeing her."

Ward glanced at Alex and shook his head. "Why don't I believe you?"

Agent Coulson cleared his throat and nodded toward Agent Ward. Alex understood that as her cue. She then stood and took the opportunity to introduce herself. "Alex Evans," she said extending her hand.

"Grant Ward," he responded gruffly.

"I know," Alex said withdrawing her hand. "I mean, I don't _know_ you...we've never formally met. But I know of you. You were a guest speaker for one of my seminars."

Ward nodded his head and looked to Coulson. "Something I'm never doing again. I was coerced into it and it didn't go well. I mean it, sir. I do my job and I do it well. Don't ask me to talk about it."

Coulson nodded and turned toward Alex. "Go tell Fitz-Simmons we're taking off in five." Alex nodded her head and moved to go. "Agent Evans," Coulson called. Alex turned to face him once more. "Welcome to the team."

"You-uh-you already welcomed me," Alex said pulling a tendril of hair behind her ear.

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Yeah, but it's fun to say and saying it twice doesn't hurt anything." Alex nodded her head and moved to do as ordered. After having met the people she was going to be working with, she knew that things were certainly going to be interesting.

* * *

 **Author's note: Sorry it's been awhile! Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed/favorited/followed this story. It means a lot! :) Next chapter we'll get into some more meaty situations!**


	4. Whistle While You Work

**Chapter 4: Whistle While You Work**

* * *

It didn't take long before they were airborne. Alex found herself seated alone. Fitz and Simmons had sat down at a table together and were chatting about something scientific. She longed to join in their conversation, but she wouldn't let herself. For once, there were people who didn't look at her differently because she was the daughter of Dr. Connie Evans. Aside from Agent Coulson and Agent May, it was nice to be relatively unknown. She wasn't about to put that in jeopardy.

Alex glanced further up the jet to find Agent Ward speaking rather heatedly with Coulson. Apparently, the guy wasn't too happy about his new assignment and he wasn't afraid to let someone know. But when one did what Ward had done, one earned that right. Maybe one day, Alex herself could earn that right. But for now, she was going to have to work her way up to earn that privilege.

It wasn't long before the jet landed, Alex stood tall and waited for assignment. She had never had an assignment before. Truthfully, she was nervous and she _knew_ that Grant Ward could see that about her. Alex tried to focus on her breathing to keep herself calm, but that didn't stop Ward from looking at her, clearly annoyed. She slowly exhaled and straightened her shoulders as Coulson approached. He explained the situation to them as they all gathered around.

When his spiel was over he said, "Alright, we're going to split up." He rubbed his hands together. "Agent Ward and I will apprehend the suspect. May, you and Evans take Fitz and Simmons to check out the blast site."

With that Agent Ward quickly left the group and walked to a computer nearby, but not before giving Alex a rather displeased glance. She was never going to impress him, she knew that. Fitz and Simmons quickly headed downstairs to gather their gear. Alex stood there for a moment trying to take it all in. It didn't quite seem real. But it wasn't long before she could feel her heartbeat begin to quicken because this _was_ real. And she was about to head out on her first mission as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Coulson glanced at Alex. She knew that he could _tell_ as he took a step closer toward her. "Agent Evans, you're doing fine," Coulson said reassuringly.

"It doesn't feel like it, Sir," Alex responded with a sidelong glance toward Agent Ward, which made Coulson chuckle.

"Don't worry about him. It's not you. He's always like that."

Alex's brow furrowed as she folded her arms across her chest. "A judging jerk?"

Coulson chuckled. "I would have used focused or driven, but judging jerk works too." He then gently set a hand on the young agent's shoulder. "I meant it when I said you're doing fine. Before my first mission, I puked on my S.O.'s shoes. But let's keep that between you and me. It took me a long time to outlive that one."

His gentle smile made Alex smile. There was something reassuring and familiar about it, but that seemed stupid. She barely knew Coulson. But Alex nodded her head and walked to stand beside Agent May. May gave her a slight nod before she motioned for Alex to follow her downstairs to make sure that Fitz and Simmons would be ready for an on-time departure.

When they got downstairs, Fitz was loading a container into the car. He was whistling to himself. Alex didn't recognize the tune. She glanced to see Jemma going over a checklist in the lab before she slowly approached Fitz. "You ready?" Alex asked.

"For what?" Fitz asked, slightly confused.

"This _is_ your first field mission, right?"

"Yeah. So?" he said rather defensively.

For a moment, Alex wondered why he was getting so defensive. She glanced at him and then it struck her. He thought that she was going to criticize him-say that he wasn't fit for field work, especially given the academy he attended. Alex took a deep breath, "I only meant that it's _my_ first field mission too. That's all. No offense intended."

"Oh," he said as scrutinized Alex. He set his container in the back of the S.H.I.E.L.D. marked vehicle and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he said, "So, I guess we're doing it. Doing it together. Doing our first mission together." Fitz looked at Alex rather embarrassed by the fact that he couldn't get the words out quite right without insinuating something. But instead of clarifying anything, he quickly escaped inside the vehicle and shut himself in.

Alex tried hard not to laugh. Instead, she just covered her smile with her hand. It was kinda fun to see him flustered like that. But she didn't dwell on it too long because Jemma came out of the lab. "Where's Fitz?" she asked.

"He's-uh- _waiting_ ," Alex said pointing toward the vehicle.

"But you two were just…" Jemma started before she smiled knowingly. "He embarrassed himself, didn't he?"

Alex shrugged. "I guess."

"Load up!" May called as she approached the vehicle. She jumped into the driver's seat. Jemma squealed in excitement before she quickly took the front seat. That left Alex to sit in the back with Fitz. And rather than engaging Alex in any more conversation, he sat there quietly for the duration of the ride. Jemma prattled on about how excited she was about getting to see the world and doing field work. May stared blankly at the road ahead and Alex watched the world go by...or at least they world they drove by. Alex had been sheltered for most of her life and this was her chance to change that. Very similar to Jemma and Fitz, she assumed.

When the vehicle finally came to a stop, Alex was glad to get some fresh air. She leaned against the vehicle and slowly inhaled fresh air, but that wasn't enough to stop her from puking up her breakfast. Motion sickness. She never knew when it was going to strike. Some days she was perfectly fine while others were not. Alex looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was looking. May and Jemma were already walking toward the building, but she caught Fitz's eye. Perhaps if he asked, she could chalk it up to first day jitters. Not that motion sickness was anything to be ashamed of, but she didn't want another strike against her.

"Evans!" May called.

Alex yelled back, "Coming!" before she sprinted toward the more experienced agent.

May had stopped just outside the building and stood there waiting for Alex. Alex just hoped that May wasn't mad or annoyed with her. She wasn't sure she could handle being on the wrong side of _another_ person. Alex waited for the other shoe to drop, but May just gave Alex her orders. "Evans, you and I are going to make sure the scene is clear. I trust you remember how you were trained to do that."

Alex nodded her head, placing a hand on the gun holstered to her side. Theoretically, she knew what she was supposed to do. She had memorized the manual and could easily prattle on, word for word, but that wasn't going to help her in this situation. She actually needed to _do_ it. So, she headed inside the building. May, Fitz, and Simmons followed behind her. Alex just hoped there was nothing she could possibly screw up.

When Alex came to the room where the epicenter of the blast happened, she slowly walked inside. There _shouldn't_ be anyone inside, but her training taught her better than to just assume. She pulled her gun out and walked into the room, examining every angle and every possible place for someone to hide. "Clear!" Alex shouted before she holstered her gun and pulled out a flashlight. She began to look around as the others trailed in.

Jemma was the first to follow in behind her. 'This looks like a lab," Jemma exclaimed. She stopped for a moment and glanced quizzically at Agent May. "Was this leased as a lab?"

"Self-empowerment center," Agent May scoffed as she stepped over debris. "With state-of-the-art motion-sensor security system."

"Obviously, necessary," Alex muttered sarcastically and she was pretty sure Fitz heard her because he stifled a chuckle behind her. She glanced to see him doing something with that container he had been carrying- _not_ helping them.

"Ah, so a _secret_ lab," Jemma responded as she examined something charred.

May nodded her head. "And a superhero? Not a coincidence." May glanced at Alex and then at Jemma, holding both women's attention she asked, "So was the explosion sabotage? Was it meant for him? Or were they just in over their heads?"

"Yeah, working the problem," Fitz responded from the corner, furthest away from them.

"From all the way over there?" Alex said arching an eyebrow. Fitz turned for a moment to look at her before his attention went back to whatever was in his stupid container. Alex rolled her eyes.

"If you're gonna be in the field, Agent Fitz, you're going to have to get your hands dirty," Agent May stated, watching him.

"No, I don't." His voice was almost sing-songy. A second later the whirring of mechanical machines sounded. Alex turned her head to see exactly what Fitz had been doing. He had been preparing _drones_. As the drones began to move about Fitz sang, "Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho. Off to work you go."

"What are you singing?" Alex asked rather bluntly.

Fitz looked at Alex as if the answer were obvious, but she shook her head. So, he answered,"The dwarf's song from _Snow White."_

Alex shrugged her shoulders.

Fitz looked at her in shock with his mouth agape. "Don't tell me you've never heard of _Snow White_."

"Of course I've _heard_ of _Snow White_." Alex paused for a moment and chewed her bottom lip before she continued. " I've just never seen the movie...or any Disney movie for that matter."

"You've never seen a Disney movie?" Fitz asked in disbelief staring at Alex. "Never?" Alex could see that everyone's eyes were now on her. Not awkward at all. She stiffly shook her head and Fitz blinked slowly. "You must have had a very deprived childhood."

"That's one way of putting it." Her mother had always kept Alex going with chemistry sets, math equations, computer codes, and the like-to keep her mind active. She used to say that she didn't want her daughter's mind turning to mush over watching mindless television. And Alex had certainly enjoyed those things, but she felt like she had missed a certain rite of passage growing up. But looking back on it, she couldn't help but think her mother was trying to live those things _through_ her. Not that she minded. But still. As much as Connie Evans had tried, Alex had not grown up normally.

One of the drones flew toward Alex. She reached her hand out to touch it, but Fitz quickly scolded her, "Don't touch." Her hand quickly recoiled back. It wasn't like she was going to break it. It just intrigued her.

"So what are these things?" May asked with her hands on her hips.

Jemma answered, "They're D.W.A.R.F.s-Drones Wirelessly Automated to Retrieve Forensics."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. and their acronyms," Alex scoffed, shaking her head. Although, if she was being honest-she had aced the exams at the academy that had to do with memorizing the acronyms.

"You see," Jemma continued. "We designed each with their own capabilities. So, um, some recording the dimensions and textures of the room, and then some testing the matter density, radiation. I mean, one is basically just smelling."

Alex couldn't help but mutter her admiration under her breath, "Cool." She was thankful no one could hear her over Fitz' shouting in excitement.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Fitz called as he messed with a device in his hands. "I've got something...in something."

Alex shook her head. For as brilliant as he was supposed to be that wasn't very specific.

"Who's got it?" Jemma asked rather excitedly.

"Uh…" Fitz said as he looked around for the drone. He smiled and pointed as he said, 'Bashful." Jemma _aww'd_ like a proud parent as May walked over to see what Bashful had found. Alex's brow furrowed and Fitz must have recognized her confusion because he said matter-of-factly, "Bashful's the name of one of the dwarfs."

Alex asked, "Why would you name one of your D.W.A.R.F.s Bashful though?"

Fitz groaned. "No. Bashful is one of the names of _Snow White's_ dwarfs. We named our D.W.A.R.F.s after _Snow White's_ dwarfs."

"And Snow too!" Jemma added from across the room.

"Huh. Interesting," Alex said lamely as she folded her arms across her chest and walked toward May. She didn't like feeling inferior to Fitz. So she wasn't as pop-culture savvy, she knew enough to get by with your average person. She wasn't so sure why it bothered her so much that he probably thought she was stupid, but it did.

Alex came to a stop beside May. "What is it?" she asked.

"Surveillance Camera," May announced loud enough so that Jemma and Fitz could hear as well. "But it's been deep-fried."

"Yes, but that model has flash memory in case of brownouts," Fitz announced, looking rather pleased with himself. He took a few steps toward them, nearly running into a ceiling beam that was hanging where it shouldn't be. He quickly dodged that and the continued talking. "Now I could sync that with data from the motion detectors. And with a little luck, we'll get some images from the blast."

Fitz stopped in front of May and Alex and smiled. "And by _luck_ , I mean _unappreciated genius_."

Alex shook her head at his words. She knew full-well how true his words were, but she wasn't going to say anything. May just looked somewhat annoyed at him. Fitz opened his mouth to say something more, but Jemma began to speak, "Snow's reading that some of the compounds are….whoa! My God!"

There was a certain panic in her voice.

May took a step toward Jemma. "Explosive?" she asked.

Jemma looked at the object in her hand and breathlessly said, "Out of this world."

Wanting a better look at what Jemma was holding, Alex took a step toward her. She attempted to stomp over some debris. Her boot came down hard. Crunch. She didn't think anything of it until Fitz suddenly ran toward her and pushed her. Alex looked at him curiously as he bent down and gingerly peeled _something_ from the floor.

"You killed Dopey!" Fitz groaned.

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident," Alex offered.

"You killed Dopey!" Fitz's voice raised as he looked up at Alex with a dead Dopey in his hands.

Alex folded her arms across her chest. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to fix this, Fitz muttered to himself. "You Operations lot have no idea how much time goes into making your gadgets."

"Is that so?" Alex arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, it is. You think you can just break them and then we'll fix them. I mean, of course, we do, but now you just created more work for us."

"I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

Fitz muttered something inaudible under his breath. Jemma looked at Alex and then back at Fitz rather disappointedly. Alex sighed and shook her head. She knew she wasn't going to get any further with this. Although, she did feel bad about breaking the D.W.A.R.F. She hadn't meant to kill Dopey, whom Fitz seemed rather attached to. But Alex just went about her work.

Alex found Fitz giving her somewhat of a cold shoulder as they finished up their work, which took a little longer because they didn't have Dopey to complete his analysis. The ride back to the _bus_ was completely silent. But Alex didn't much feel like talking, with May's driving. She held the pressure point in near her wrist to help with the motion sickness, but it wasn't working this time. It was always a hit or a miss.

When they returned to the bus Alex went to her _room._ She sat on her bed for a few minutes before she came up with an idea. It would involve lying, but a little white lie never hurt anyone. Right? Alex quickly got up and went downstairs to the lab, she was going to fix Dopey. Only she couldn't let Fitz or Simmons onto her secret, so she had to get rid of them and she couldn't completely fix it, otherwise, they would be suspicious. So, she was going to fix the inner workings of the D.W.A.R.F., which shouldn't take too long. She would leave him the outer shell to fix.

When Alex walked into the lab, Fitz sat on a stool staring at Dopey. It didn't look like Fitz had taken him apart yet, which was a good sign. Jemma was staring at a computer screen going over one analysis. Alex cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I-uh-Coulson wants you upstairs," Alex said smoothly. So smoothly in fact that she shocked herself and for a second it showed, but her facade quickly returned.

"What for?" Jemma asked.

"I don't know," Alex said with a shrug. "Probably some science-y thing that I don't understand."

Surprisingly, Fitz was the first one to buy it. Although, Alex couldn't help but think he wanted to distract himself. But once Fitz headed out of the lab, Jemma quickly followed. Alex slowly walked behind them and waited until they had disappeared from her view before she went to work. Alex put her hair up in a ponytail and then carefully removed Dopey's hard outer shell. She quickly assessed the damage inside. If the lab was fully-stocked, as she anticipated it was, she should finish with the inside controls just about the time Fitz and Jemma realized that no one was actually looking for them.

The technology that went into creating the D.W.A.R.F.s was fascinating. Alex probably could have spent hours geeking out over them, but she didn't have that time. She found a small screwdriver and soldering iron, fixing most of the damage that had been done. In one of the cabinets, she found a computer chip she had cracked. Alex quickly replaced it, pocketing the old one. Alex glanced at the clock. She was going to be pressed for time to finish this before Fitz and Jemma got back. She hoped that they had found someone to engage in a lengthy conversation. But there was only a one in three probability of that.

Alex went over to the computer and plugged Dopey in. The last thing she had to do was download whatever data Dopey had already transmitted. Several clicks later, all she could do was wait. Alex walked over to the glass door to check and see if there was any sight of Fitz or Jemma. Nope. Despite the odds being against her, they must have found someone to talk to. So, Alex paced the lab until the computer beeped that the download was complete.

Quickly, she unplugged it and set it on the lab table before she quickly escaped and went to her _room_ again. Alex felt rather proud of herself as she plopped onto her bed. She still had _it_. Not that she had really ever doubted that, but it was still nice to have some validation. But she wasn't sure what her motivation had been. Whether it was her drive to use those skills again or the fact she didn't like upsetting Fitz like that. Either way, it had been rather impulsive of her to do and she would need to be more careful in the future.

Alex sat on her bed reading on her tablet. It was a book on complex algorithms. Thank goodness for technology to cloak any suspicions of her because she felt like she was doing terribly at hiding _that_ side of herself.

Sometime later, Fitz showed up, knocking on the wall of her _room_. Alex looked up at him. He stood there rather awkwardly. It was almost cute. "Yes?" she answered as she hit the close button on her tablet.

"I'm sorry that I kinda got into it with you back at the site," Fitz said hanging his head ashamedly. 'I-I just wanted everything to go perfectly on my first field mission. To prove that I can handle it, you know? Lots of pressure and I overreacted and I took it out on you. So, I'm sorry."

Alex nodded her head knowingly. He seemed very contrite, although she was pretty sure that he felt worse about the situation than he needed to. Alex had had much, much worse confrontations in her life. The situation with Fitz didn't even crack the top 500.

Fitz shifted his stance, looking Alex in the eyes. "You didn't break it as bad as I thought you had though. You only cracked the shell which severed the antenna, it is an easy fix. I thought it was going to be much, much worse."

Again, Alex nodded her head. She was thankful that he hadn't figured out that she had already fixed the inside parts that had been damaged.

"I-uh-I made these for you." He held out two special silver wristbands. "They're-uh-to help with the motion sickness. They should help regulate your sensory nerves. I saw how you got sick when we got to the scene and how you looked a little peaked whenever we're in the air."

"Fitz, can you not tell anyone, please? I made it through the academy without anyone figuring it out. I just don't want people…"

Fitz held his hand up to stop her. "Your secret is safe with me. But people might ask about the bracelets."

Alex softly smiled. 'Then it's a good thing that you made them metallic. They're the perfect fashion accessory for any outfit." She held the bracelets up like they did on _The Price is Right_ before she laughed. She then slipped a bracelet on each wrist and almost immediately, she began to feel better. Not that she had felt terrible before, but she felt better. Alex then smiled up at Fitz. "Thank you."

Fitz nodded his head and then turned to walk away. "Hey, Fitz!" Alex called out.

Fitz turned around to look at her. "Yeah?"

For a moment, Alex chewed her bottom lip. "This might sound stupid and feel free to say no, but do you think you might wanna show me some Disney movie. Not now, obviously...but at some point? Like I said, I know it's dumb I just never got to…"

"I'm game," Fitz said shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Oh. Awesome, then." Alex softly smiled and he did too. He nodded his head and walked away whistling the song from earlier, headed back to the lab because of course, they still had a mission to complete.

* * *

 **Author's note:** It's been awhile. Oops! This chapter was longer to help make up for it though! Haha. I know it's not my best work, but I tried. haha. So moving forward with the story, I have a question. Would you all rather see more mission-oriented chapters, or do you prefer more relationship building scenes (Fitzlex or Coulson/Alex)? I'm just honestly curious. I mean, I'm sure I'll still have both, but I'm debating what to stress more. Thanks! Hope you're all doing fabulously! :)


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